Vehicle exterior imaging systems

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to vehicle exterior imaging systems that capture and display views of the exterior environment to vehicle operators. An exemplary vehicle exterior imaging system may include a glass panel including a combiner positioned between a first layer of glass and a second layer of glass, a first exterior side-view imager assembly configured to capture images of a vehicle exterior environment, and a projector assembly configured to project an output image onto the glass panel. The output image is based on the images captured by the first exterior side-view imager assembly. The glass panel may be part of either a windshield or a door window, and the projector assembly may be mounted either outside or inside of a housing of the first exterior side-view imager assembly.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to vehicle exterior imaging systems that captureand display views of the exterior environment to vehicle operators.

BACKGROUND

Motor vehicles have traditionally included side-view mirrors thatprovide reflective surfaces for allowing a vehicle operator to visualizeother vehicles that are approaching from the rear and sides of thevehicle. In more recent years, some vehicles have been equipped withcameras for capturing images of the vehicle external environment.

SUMMARY

A vehicle exterior imaging system according to an exemplary aspect ofthe present disclosure includes, among other things, a glass panelincluding a combiner positioned between a first layer of glass and asecond layer of glass, a first exterior side-view imager assemblyconfigured to capture images of a vehicle exterior environment, and aprojector assembly configured to project an output image onto the glasspanel. The output image is based on the images captured by the firstexterior side-view imager assembly.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing system, the glasspanel is part of a windshield.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoing systems,the glass panel is part of a window of a vehicle door.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems,the combiner includes at least one layer of a combiner film that issandwiched between a first and a second layer of polyvinyl butyral(PVB).

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems,the first exterior side-view imager assembly is a driver-side imagerthat includes a first camera for capturing the images.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems, asecond exterior side-view imager assembly is a passenger-side imagerthat includes a second camera for capturing additional images of thevehicle exterior environment.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems,the first exterior side-view imager assembly is mounted to a vehicledoor.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems,the first exterior side-view imager assembly is mounted forward of avehicle A-pillar.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems,the projector assembly is mounted to a vehicle instrument panel locatedinside a vehicle passenger cabin.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems,the projector assembly is mounted inside a housing of the first exteriorside-view imager assembly.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems, amirror is movably mounted inside the housing and is configured toreflect light emitted from the projector assembly so that the lightpasses through an opening of the housing and then onto the glass panel.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems,the output image is projected onto a lower corner section of the glasspanel at a location that is inboard of a vehicle A-pillar.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems, acontroller is configured to receive the images captured by the firstexterior side-view imager assembly and then process the images to createthe output image.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems,the controller is configured to command a light source of the projectorassembly to project the output image onto the glass panel.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing systems,the controller is configured to adjust a brightness of the output imagebased on an ambient light level sensed by a sensor system.

A vehicle according to another exemplary aspect of the presentdisclosure includes, among other things, a glass panel including acombiner positioned between a first layer of glass and a second layer ofglass, a first exterior side-view imager assembly configured to capturea first view of an exterior environment around the vehicle, and a firstprojector assembly configured to project a first output image onto afirst section of the glass panel. The first output image is based on thefirst view captured by the first exterior side-view imager assembly. Asecond exterior side-view imager assembly is configured to capture asecond view of the exterior environment. A second projector assembly isconfigured to project a second output image onto a second section of theglass panel. The second output image is based on the images captured bythe second exterior side-view imager assembly.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing vehicle, the glasspanel is a windshield, the first section is a lower, driver-side cornerof the windshield, and the second section is a lower, passenger-sidecorner of the windshield.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoingvehicles, the first projector assembly and the second projector assemblyare mounted on top of an instrument panel located within a passengercabin of the vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicles,the first projector assembly is mounted inside a first housing of thefirst exterior side-view imager assembly and the second projectorassembly is mounted inside a second housing of the second exteriorside-view imager assembly.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicles,the combiner includes at least one layer of a combiner film that issandwiched between a first and a second layers of polyvinyl butyral(PVB).

The embodiments, examples, and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs,the claims, or the following description and drawings, including any oftheir various aspects or respective individual features, may be takenindependently or in any combination. Features described in connectionwith one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless suchfeatures are incompatible.

The various features and advantages of this disclosure will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can bebriefly described as follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle equipped with an exteriorimaging system.

FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary mounting locations of an imager of theexterior imaging system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates select portions of a passenger cabin of the vehicleof FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an exemplary exterior imaging systemfor a vehicle.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary windshield of a vehicle.

FIGS. 6A and 6B schematically illustrate operation of a projectorassembly of the exterior imaging system of FIG. 4. The projectorassembly projects output images onto a windshield of the vehicle fordisplaying views of the vehicle exterior environment.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate another exemplary exterior imaging system fora vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure relates to vehicle exterior imaging systems that captureand display views of the exterior environment to vehicle operators. Anexemplary vehicle exterior imaging system may include a glass panelincluding a combiner positioned between a first layer of glass and asecond layer of glass, a first exterior side-view imager assemblyconfigured to capture images of a vehicle exterior environment, and aprojector assembly configured to project an output image onto the glasspanel. The output image is based on the images captured by the firstexterior side-view imager assembly. The glass panel may be part ofeither a windshield or a door window, and the projector assembly may bemounted either outside or inside of a housing of the first exteriorside-view imager assembly. These and other features of this disclosureare described in greater detail in the following paragraphs of thisdetailed description.

FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate a vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 maybe a car, a truck, a van, a sport utility vehicle, or any other type ofmotor vehicle. The vehicle 10 could also be a conventional motorvehicle, a battery powered hybrid or electric vehicle, or an autonomousvehicle.

Although a specific component relationship is illustrated in the figuresof this disclosure, the illustrations are not intended to limit thisdisclosure. The placement and orientation of the various components ofthe vehicle 10 are shown schematically and could vary within the scopeof this disclosure. In addition, the various figures accompanying thisdisclosure are not necessarily to scale, and some features may beexaggerated or minimized to emphasize certain details of a particularcomponent.

The vehicle 10 includes an exterior imaging system 12 for capturing anddisplaying images associated with an exterior environment 14 about thevehicle 10. The images captured by the exterior imaging system 12 may bedisplayed on a windshield (i.e., a windscreen) 16 of the vehicle 10 inorder to provide an operator 15 (i.e., a driver) that is located withina passenger cabin 18 of the vehicle 10 with improved visualization ofthe exterior environment 14. For example, the images may allow thevehicle operator 15 to visualize on-coming traffic approaching from therear and/or sides of the vehicle 10 without the drawback of blind spotsthat may be associated with traditional vehicle side-view mirrors.

The exterior imaging system 12 may include at least one driver-sideimager 20, at least one passenger-side imager 22, and, optionally, arear view imager 24. Each of the driver-side imager 20, thepassenger-side imager 22, and the rear view imager 24 may include ahousing 26 and a camera 28 at least partially mounted within the housing26. Each housing 26 may include a relatively low profile that providesweight and aerodynamic benefits to the vehicle 10.

The driver-side imager 20 and the passenger-side imager 22 may bemounted at opposing lateral sides 30 of the vehicle 10 and may bereferred to as vehicle exterior side-view camera or imager assemblies.In their mounted positions, the driver-side imager 20 and thepassenger-side imager 22 face toward a rear portion 32 of the vehicle10. The driver-side imager 20 and the passenger-side imager 22 may eachcapture images of the exterior environment 14 within a field of view 34that is exterior of the passenger cabin 18 of the vehicle 10. In anembodiment, each field of view 34 is about 120 degrees or less. In thisdisclosure, the term “about” means that the expressed quantities orranges need not be exact but may be approximated and/or larger orsmaller, reflecting acceptable tolerances, conversion factors,measurement error, etc.

In an embodiment, the driver-side imager 20 and the passenger-sideimager 22 are mounted to front doors 36 of the vehicle 10. However,alternative mounting locations are contemplated as being within thescope of this disclosure. For example, the driver-side imager 20 and/orthe passenger-side imager 22 could be mounted at any location forward ofan A-pillar 38 of the vehicle 10 (see, e.g., FIG. 2, which shows analternative mounting location of the driver-side imager 20 in phantom).

The rear view imager 24 may be mounted within the rear portion 32 of thevehicle 10. The rear view imager 24 may capture images of the exteriorenvironment 14 within a field of view 40. In an embodiment, the field ofview 40 is about 170 degrees or less.

FIG. 3, with continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, shows select portionsof the passenger cabin 18 of the vehicle 10 in greater detail. Theimages captured by the driver-side imager 20 and the passenger-sideimager 22 of the exterior imaging system 12 may be displayed as outputimages 42 on the windshield 16 of the vehicle 10. In an embodiment, theoutput images 42 are live video streams that provide the operator 15with real-time views of the exterior environment 14.

The output images 42 may be displayed on the windshield 16 at a locationthat is inboard of the A-pillars 38 of the vehicle 10. In an embodiment,the images captured by the driver-side imager 20 are displayed as outputimages 42 near a lower, driver-side corner 44 of the windshield 16, andthe images captured by the passenger-side imager 22 are displayed asoutput images 42 near a lower, passenger-side corner 46 of thewindshield 16. In another embodiment, the output images 42 may bedisplayed slightly inboard (e.g., about 25 mm) from a fret area 25 ofthe windshield 16. The output images 42 could be displayed at anylocation of the windshield 16 that does not require the operator 15 totake their eyes of the road while driving forward.

The output images 42 may be projected by one or more projectorassemblies 48 of the exterior imaging system 12. In an embodiment, oneprojector assembly 48 is provided for each imager of the exteriorimaging system 12 (i.e., a first projector assembly 48 is dedicated fordisplaying output images 42 from the driver-side imager 20, a secondprojector assembly 48 is dedicated for displaying output images 42 fromthe passenger-side imager 22, etc.).

Each projector assembly 48 may be mounted on top of an instrument panel50 located within the passenger cabin 18. Therefore, in this embodiment,the projector assemblies 48 are mounted separate from the imagers 20,22. The instrument panel 50 is generally located between the windshield16 and seats 52 of the passenger cabin 18. In an embodiment, theprojector assembly 48 associated with the driver-side imager 20 ismounted on a driver-side 54 of the instrument panel 50, and theprojector assembly 48 associated with the passenger-side imager 22 ismounted on a passenger-side 56 of the instrument panel 50. Othermounting locations of the projector assemblies 48 may also be suitable.

FIG. 4, with continued reference to FIGS. 1-3, is a block diagram of anexemplary exterior imaging system 12 for a vehicle, such as the vehicle10 of FIG. 1. The exterior imaging system 12 may include a first imager20 (e.g., the driver-side imager), a second imager 22 (e.g., thepassenger-side imager), a first projector assembly 48A, a secondprojector assembly 48B, a sensor system 58, and a controller 60.

The first imager 20 and the second imager 22 are each configured forcapturing images of the exterior environment 14 surrounding the vehicle10. In an embodiment, the first and second imagers 20 produce a visualrepresentation around the vehicle 10, e.g., both the driver-side andpassenger-side of the vehicle 10, either with or without a rear view.Each of the first and second imagers 20, 22 may include a camera 28 thatis capable of capturing the images of the exterior environment 14. Eachcamera 28 may include a digital imaging device, e.g., a charge-coupleddevice (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device.

The image data captured by the cameras 28 may be received as inputsignals 62 by the controller 60. The controller 60 may control the firstand second projector assemblies 48A, 48B to project the output images 42in response to receiving the input signals 62 from the cameras 28 of thefirst and second imagers 20, 22.

The controller 60 may include hardware and software, and could be partof an overall vehicle control module, such as a vehicle systemcontroller (VSC), or could alternatively be a stand-alone controllerseparate from the VSC. Further, the controller 60 may be programmed withexecutable instructions for interfacing with and operating the variouscomponents of the exterior imaging system 12.

The controller 60 additionally includes a processing unit 64 andnon-transitory memory 66 for executing the various control strategiesand modes of the exterior imaging system 12. The processing unit 64, inan embodiment, is configured to execute one or more programs stored inthe memory 66 of the controller 60.

A first exemplary program, when executed, may be employed to process theimage data received from the cameras 28 of the first and second imagers20, 22. This may include, for example, cropping the images so that onlya pertinent part of the images are projected onto the windshield 16 aspart of the output images 42.

A second exemplary program, when executed, may be employed by thecontroller 60 in order to command a light source 68 of each projectorassembly 48A, 48B to project the output images 42 onto the windshield16. The output images 42 projected by the light sources 68 are based onthe image data processed by the controller 60. The light sources 68 mayinclude light emitting diodes (LEDs), laser LEDs, liquid crystal display(LCD) filters, digital light processing (DLP) projectors, or anycombination of these light sources. In an embodiment, each light source68 is capable of outputting at least about 40 lumens of light in orderto be visible in broad daylight.

A third exemplary program, when executed, may be employed by thecontroller 60 to control the brightness of the output images 42 that areprojected by each of the light sources 68. The controller 60 may be inelectronic communication with the sensor system 58. The sensor system 58may include one or more sensors, such as a light sensor 70 that detectsambient light. In such an example, the controller 60 may issue commandsto the light sources 68 of the projector assemblies 48A, 48B, therebycausing the projector assemblies 48A, 48B to change their brightnesscorresponding to ambient light conditions, such as dimming at night andbrightening during the day.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the windshield 16 may include a specializedfilm for clearly displaying the output images 42 projected by theprojector assemblies 48 of the exterior imaging system 12. In anembodiment, the windshield 16 may include a combiner 74 that includesone or more layers of a combiner film 72 that is/are sandwiched betweenfirst and second layers of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) 76 to establish thecombiner 74. One non-limiting example of a suitable combiner film is the3M™ Windshield Combiner Film sold by the 3M Company.

The combiner 74 may be sandwiched between layers of glass 78 to form thewindshield 16 (or any other glass window of the vehicle 10). Thecombiner 74 may replace the PVB wedge commonly used within vehiclewindshields.

The combiner 74 may serve multiple functions. A first function of thecombiner 74 is to increase the image field of view and virtuallyeliminate secondary images by aligning the images reflected by thelayers of glass 78 so passengers at all heights can see a single outputimage 42 at the correct depth. A second function of the combiner 74 isto reflect both ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light whilepolarizing the remaining visible light in order to reduce glare.

FIGS. 6A and 6B detail an exemplary projector assembly 48 that may beutilized by the exterior imaging system 12 described above. Theprojector assembly 48 may include a housing 80 and a light source 68, areflective polarizer mirror 82, a display 84, a cold mirror 86, and anaspheric mirror 88 that are housed inside the housing 80. The coldmirror 86 is essentially a color filter that is used to selectively passIR light and reflect light of the visible range. The cold mirror 86could be made by applying a commercially available film to a piece ofglass or an optically clear plastic or with multi-layer dielectriccoatings. The aspheric mirror 88 may be provided to help focus andmagnify the output image 42 just prior to projecting the output image 42onto the windshield 16.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the output image 42 outputted by the light source68 may travel through the reflective polarizer mirror 82 and the display84, which acts as a filter, reflect off the cold mirror 86, and thenreflect off the aspheric mirror 88 prior to being projected onto thewindshield 16. As shown in FIG. 6B, a solar load SL experienced by theinternal components of the projector assembly 48 is reduced due to theproposed design of the projector assembly 48. A majority of the solarload SL is reflected by the windshield 16, and a majority of the light Lthat passes through the windshield 16 is reflected off the asphericmirror 88 and is then filtered by the cold mirror 86 to preventprojector component overheating.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate another exemplary exterior imaging system 90for a vehicle 92. The exterior imaging system 90 may include an exteriorside-view imager assembly 94 that is mounted to a door 96 of the vehicle92 and is configured for capturing and displaying images associated withan exterior environment 98 about the vehicle 92. Although only a singleexterior side-view imager assembly 94 is illustrated in FIG. 7A, thevehicle 92 could include an additional exterior side-view assemblymounted on an opposite side door of the vehicle 92.

The exterior side-view imager assembly 94 may include a housing 93 thatis mounted to the door 96. As best shown in FIG. 7B, a camera 100, aprojector assembly 102, and a mirror 104 may be housed inside thehousing 93.

The camera 100 is capable of capturing the images of the exteriorenvironment 98. The projector assembly 102 may serve a dual purpose. Forexample, the projector assembly 102 may be configured to act as a puddlelamp for projecting an illuminated pattern 105 onto a ground surfaceadjacent the vehicle 92. In addition, the projector assembly 102 may beconfigured to project output images 106 onto either a window 108 of thedoor 96 or a windshield 110 of the vehicle 92. The output images 106provide a real-time view of the exterior environment 98 during operationof the vehicle 92 and are based on the images captured by the camera100. The window 108 and/or the windshield 110 may include a combinerfilm similar to the one described above with respect to FIG. 5 in orderto more clearly display the output images 106.

Referring now primary to FIG. 7B, a controller 112 may be in electricalcommunication with the various components of the exterior imaging system90. The controller 112 may include a processing unit 114 andnon-transitory memory 116 for executing the various control strategiesand modes of the exterior imaging system 90. The processing unit 114, inan embodiment, is configured to execute one or more programs stored inthe memory 116.

A first exemplary program, when executed, may be employed to command theprojector assembly 102 to project an illuminated pattern 105 onto aground surface adjacent the vehicle 92. This may be done, for example,when the vehicle 92 is OFF and an authorized user is approaching thevehicle 92.

A second exemplary program, when executed, may be employed to processthe image data received from the camera 100. This processing mayinclude, for example, cropping the images so that only a pertinent partof the images are projected onto the window 108/windshield 110.

A third exemplary program, when executed, may be employed by thecontroller 112 in order to command the projector assembly 102 to projectthe output images 106 onto the window 108/windshield 110. This may bedone, for example, when the vehicle 92 is ON and traveling along a roadsurface.

Prior to commanding the projector assembly 102 to project the outputimages 106, the controller 112 may command a solenoid 118 to move themirror 104 into position to reflect light projected by the projectorassembly 102. The light projected by the projector assembly 102 willreflect off of the mirror 104 in order to direct the output images 106through an opening 120 of the housing 93 and then onto the window108/windshield 110. The mirror 104 and solenoid 118 may be required insituations where the projector assembly 102 has the additional functionas a puddle lamp and is therefore oriented toward the ground surfacerather than toward the surface upon which it is desirable to project theoutput images 106.

The vehicle exterior imaging systems of this disclosure providerelatively low cost options for capturing and displaying views of theexterior environment to vehicle operators during vehicle operation. Theimages output by the disclosed systems substantially eliminate the needfor vehicle operators to glance from side-to-side, thus enabling theoperators to keep their eyes focused more straight ahead on the road.The output images are further projected onto areas of the vehicle thatwill not be blocked by other passengers.

Although the different non-limiting embodiments are illustrated ashaving specific components or steps, the embodiments of this disclosureare not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to usesome of the components or features from any of the non-limitingembodiments in combination with features or components from any of theother non-limiting embodiments.

It should be understood that like reference numerals identifycorresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings. Itshould be understood that although a particular component arrangement isdisclosed and illustrated in these exemplary embodiments, otherarrangements could also benefit from the teachings of this disclosure.

The foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin any limiting sense. A worker of ordinary skill in the art wouldunderstand that certain modifications could come within the scope ofthis disclosure. For these reasons, the following claims should bestudied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle exterior imaging system, comprising: aglass panel including a combiner positioned between a first layer ofglass and a second layer of glass; a first exterior side-view imagerassembly configured to capture images of a vehicle exterior environment;and a projector assembly configured to project an output image onto theglass panel, wherein the output image is based on the images captured bythe first exterior side-view imager assembly.
 2. The system as recitedin claim 1, wherein the glass panel is part of a windshield.
 3. Thesystem as recited in claim 1, wherein the glass panel is part of awindow of a vehicle door.
 4. The system as recited in claim 1, whereinthe combiner includes at least one layer of a combiner film that issandwiched between a first and a second layer of polyvinyl butyral(PVB).
 5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first exteriorside-view imager assembly is a driver-side imager that includes a firstcamera for capturing the images.
 6. The system as recited in claim 5,comprising a second exterior side-view imager assembly that is apassenger-side imager that includes a second camera for capturingadditional images of the vehicle exterior environment.
 7. The system asrecited in claim 1, wherein the first exterior side-view imager assemblyis mounted to a vehicle door.
 8. The system as recited in claim 1,wherein the first exterior side-view imager assembly is mounted forwardof a vehicle A-pillar.
 9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein theprojector assembly is mounted to a vehicle instrument panel locatedinside a vehicle passenger cabin.
 10. The system as recited in claim 1,wherein the projector assembly is mounted inside a housing of the firstexterior side-view imager assembly.
 11. The system as recited in claim10, comprising a mirror movably mounted inside the housing andconfigured to reflect light emitted from the projector assembly so thatthe light passes through an opening of the housing and then onto theglass panel.
 12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the outputimage is projected onto a lower corner section of the glass panel at alocation that is inboard of a vehicle A-pillar.
 13. The system asrecited in claim 1, comprising a controller configured to receive theimages captured by the first exterior side-view imager assembly and thenprocess the images to create the output image.
 14. The system as recitedin claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to command a lightsource of the projector assembly to project the output image onto theglass panel.
 15. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein thecontroller is configured to adjust a brightness of the output imagebased on an ambient light level sensed by a sensor system.
 16. Avehicle, comprising: a glass panel including a combiner positionedbetween a first layer of glass and a second layer of glass; a firstexterior side-view imager assembly configured to capture a first view ofan exterior environment around the vehicle; a first projector assemblyconfigured to project a first output image onto a first section of theglass panel, wherein the first output image is based on the first viewcaptured by the first exterior side-view imager assembly; a secondexterior side-view imager assembly configured to capture a second viewof the exterior environment; and a second projector assembly configuredto project a second output image onto a second section of the glasspanel, wherein the second output image is based on the images capturedby the second exterior side-view imager assembly.
 17. The vehicle asrecited in claim 16, wherein the glass panel is a windshield and thefirst section is a lower, driver-side corner of the windshield and thesecond section is a lower, passenger-side corner of the windshield. 18.The vehicle as recited in claim 16, wherein the first projector assemblyand the second projector assembly are mounted on top of an instrumentpanel located within a passenger cabin of the vehicle.
 19. The vehicleas recited in claim 16, wherein the first projector assembly is mountedinside a first housing of the first exterior side-view imager assemblyand the second projector assembly is mounted inside a second housing ofthe second exterior side-view imager assembly.
 20. The vehicle asrecited in claim 16, wherein the combiner includes at least one layer ofa combiner film that is sandwiched between a first and a second layer ofpolyvinyl butyral (PVB).